1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the fields of eye tracking devices and optical user interfaces, particularly as applied to the control of wireless communications.
2. Description of the Related Art
As cellular telephones and other mobile devices have proliferated, so has the expectation that individuals will always have the option to instantly communicate with their contacts. Thus, in both business and in private matters, when an individual is not able to instantly respond to at least text messages, this expectation goes unmet, and social friction and/or lost business opportunities can result. Although cell phone and text communications are often infeasible during certain times of the day, the perception remains that the only reason why the recipient of a message may not have responded is due to a deliberate desire of the recipient to ignore the message.
However, the act of turning on a cell phone, scrolling through incoming text messages, and then responding to the text messages can be obtrusive, conspicuous, and in some situations, inappropriate. Thus, there are many times when it is inadvisable or socially awkward to break off a conversation to respond to an incoming cellular phone text message. Indeed, an important client or loved one may be insulted if this occurs. Thus, at present, a cell phone user is faced with the difficult problem of trying to balance priority between the environment, e.g., a person they are talking to face-to-face, versus the person who is trying to contact them.
There have been efforts in the past directed to the use of eye movements to control devices. However, these efforts have largely involved the use of bulky, obtrusive equipment. Prior art devices utilize optical correction lenses and mirrors that optically correct the display so as to create the appearance of a virtual image of the display that appears to be originating from a much further distance. Beam splitters, often semi-silvered mirrors or other optical glass, often located at a 45 degree angle between the user's eyes and various distant objects, can then allow the user to simultaneously see both a virtual image of the display in proper focus, as well as images of other distant objects. Unfortunately, prior art head-mounted frames (e.g., eyeglasses frames) that utilized beam splitters to create a virtual image viewable by the user traditionally configured the beam splitter so that it was held out in front of the eyeglass lenses. This traditional configuration is so conspicuous and bulky as to give the user an artificial human “Cyborg” like appearance. For purposes of inconspicuous communication using a head-mounted device that is attractive to the user, this prior art configuration is unsuitable.
Accordingly, what would be desirable is a wireless communications system that allows for inconspicuous communications by the user while allowing for eye control of such communications. More particularly, improved communications devices and methods are needed that enable the user to discretely or inconspicuously receive and respond to at least short incoming text messages in a way that is both consistent with the distant parties desire and expectation of instant communications, and is also consistent with the other local parties expectation of undivided attention.